bait for catfish

BAITS



THE ISSUE OF BAITS IS A STRAIGHT FORWARD ONE. THERE ARE MANY BAITS THAT WILL CATCH CATFISH, THESE ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO MAIN AREAS. BOTTOM BAITS AND NON BOTTOM BAITS. THIS IS THEN ALSO BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR MAIN SECTIONS:

FISH BAITS
MEAT BAITS
WORM TYPE BAITS
CARP STYLE BAITS
MOST OF THESE BAITS CAN BE FISHED BOTH ON AND OFF THE BOTTOM AND ITS YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE AS TO WHAT AND HOW YOU FISH BUT I HOPE THIS WILL GIVE YOU SOME HELP WHEN CHOOSING WHAT BAITS TO TAKE WITH YOU WHEN TAKING ON THE MIGHTY WELLS.



BOTTOM BAITS






ANY BAIT CAN BE FISHED AS A BOTTOM BAIT HOWEVER SOME ARE BETTER USED THIS WAY THAN OTHERS. IN MY OPINION LIVEBAITS, WORMS AND LEECHES ARE BETTER FISHED ON THE SURFACE HOWEVER FISH AND MEAT BAITS ARE BETTER FISHED STATIC ON THE BOTTOM.

FISH BAITS ARE ALWAYS MY FIRST CHOICE IF I AM PUTTING OUT A STATIC ROD ON THE BOTTOM. FISH BAITS ARE OBVIOUSLY SPLIT INTO TWO SECTIONS.

SEA BAITS

FRESHWATER BAITS

WHEN MAKING THE CHOICE OF WHICH, I REALLY THINK IT COMES DOWN TO THE CATS PREFERENCE ON WHICH EVER WATER YOU ARE FISHING. ON YOUR WATER YOU MAY FIND THAT THE CATS WILL HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR SEA BAITS. THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT IS BY FISHING THE TWO AND SEEING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.


WITH FISH BAITS ITS SIMPLY A CASE OF ANYTHING GOES. TRY IT AND SEE. MY APPROACH WOULD BE TO CUT THE FISH IN HALF, A MACKEREL FOR EXAMPLE. ITS A HABIT OF MINE BUT I ALWAYS FISH THE HEAD SECTION. FOR ME ITS THIS SECTION THAT CONTAINS ALL THE BLOOD AND OILS THAT PROVIDE THE ATTRACTION FOR THE CATS. WITH THE TAIL SECTION I TEND TO CUT INTO CHUNKS AND USE THIS AS FREE OFFERINGS. IF NEED BE I WILL ALSO CUT ANOTHER FULL FISH INTO CHUNKS AND USE THIS AS LOOSE FEED TOO. YOU WILL MAXIMISE YOUR CHANCES OF A TAKE BY "FEEDING" THE SWI M. DONT JUST PUT A SINGLE BAIT OUT THERE. THE HEAD SECTION IS EASY TO FISH TOO, I JUST HOOK THROUGH FROM UNDER THE JAW AND OUT THROUGH THE TOP OF THE HEAD. SIMPLE, EASY AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.

IF THE WATER YOU FISH IS A BIT PRESSURED OR YOU FANCY DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT ONE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WAY TO USE FISH BAITS IS A "FISH KEBAB". DONT THINK ABOUT CRACKING THE BARBECUE OUT, I AM TALKING ABOUT HAIR RIGGING CHUNKS OF FISH. GOOD BAITS TO USE FOR THIS ARE FISH SUCH AS EELS OR LAMPREY, BUT ANY TYPE OF FISH CAN BE USED. THIS IS A VERY GOOD BAIT TO USE AND IT ALLOWS YOU TO USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISH IN ONE BAIT. IT CAN HELP GET YOU THAT FISH OUT WHEN THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO PICK UP OTHER TYPES OF BAIT.



MEAT BAITS



AND NOW THE SUBJECT OF MEAT BAITS. THESE ARE A BAIT TYPE THAT DUE TO THE RISE IN POPULARITY OF THE CARP STYLE BAITS ARE NOW STARTING TO GET FISHED LESS AND LESS BUT THEY CAN BE A DEADLY BAIT IF USED RIGHT. THE BEAUTY OF THESE BAITS IS THAT THEY ARE CHEAP AND EASY TO GET HOLD OF. NORMALLY YOUR LOCAL SUPERMARKET CAN PROVIDE EVRYTHING YOU NEED FOR AS MANY DAYS FISHING AS YOU WANT. I HAVE SEEN AND CAUGHT SOME VERY BIG CATS ON MEAT BAITS BUT THINK BIG BECAUSE CARP DO HAVE A BIT OF A TASTE FOR THESE BAITS AND CAN REDUCE YOUR BAIT TO NOTHIING VERY QUICKLY. MY FAVOURITE IS A GOOD HAND SIZED CHUNK OF LIVER. AN EXCELLENT BAIT THAT CAUGHT ME MY FIRST EVER CAT AND SET MY ADDICTION WITH THE WELLS OFF. THE ATTRACTION OF THIS BAIT IS THE BLOOD CONTENT, HOWEVER IT DOES TEND TO BLEACH OUT AFTER A WHILE SO YOUR HOOKBAIT WILL NEED CHANGING ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT AS THE BAIT IS VERY CHEAP THIS IS NOT MUCH OF AN ISSUE.

IT CAN BE FISHED IN A FEW WAYS, EITHER HOOKED DIRECTLY OR HAIR RIGGED. REMEMBER TO USE A LARGE HOOK WHEN FISHING LIVER. THE HOOK USED IN THE PICTURE ABOVE IS A SIZE 8/0 AND AS YOU CAN SEE IT HAS ALMOST VANISHED INTO THE LIVER. AND REMEMBER WHEN FISHING LIVER CUT UP SOME SMALLER STRIPS, ABOUT A QUARTER THE SIZE OF YOUR BAIT AND FEED THEM AROUND THE AREA OF YOUR HOOKBAIT. IF YOU FIND THAT OTHER FISH IN THE LAKE ARE HAVING A GO AT YOUR HOOKBAIT THEN THEY WILL BE HAVING A GO AT YOUR LOOSE FEED. IF THIS IS THE CASE REMEMBER TO TOP UP THE SWIM EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE YOUR HOOKBAIT. THIS WILL KEEP A GOOD BED OF BAIT DOWN THERE AND THE SCENT TRAIL OF THE FRESH LOOSE FEED SHOULD EVENTUALLY SWITCH THE CATS ON.



THE OTHER MAIN MEAT BAIT OUT THERE IS THE ANGLERS FAVOURITE, LUNCHEON MEAT. THIS TIMELESS BAIT HAS ACCOUNTED FOR A HELL OF A LOT OF CATS, AND ITS EASE OF USE IS FANTASTIC. AGAIN LIKE THE LIVER IT CAN BE HOOKED DIRECTLY OR HAIR RIGGED, BUT LIKE THE LIVER IT NEEDS TO BE FISHED IN LARGE PIECES AS THIS BAIT IS EXTREMELY LIKELY TO BE PICKED AT BY OTHER FISH. I WOULD ADVISE USING AT LEAST HALF A TIN IN ONE GO, AND TO FISH A BAIT THIS SIZE IT IS MUCH EASIER TO HAIR RIG IT THAN HOOK IT DIRECT. THIS BAIT CAN BE SOAKED AND GLUGGED FOR EXTRA ATTRACTION AND THE DIFFERENT FLAVOURS THAT ARE OUT THERE CAN MAKE THE CHOICE TRICKY. JUST EXPERIMENT AND FIND WHICH ONE WORKS FOR YOU AND YOUR VENUE. DONT FORGET LIKE ALL OTHER BOTTOM BAITS, TO FEED THE SWIM. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE FISHING FOR CATS IT DOESNT MEAN THAT ALL YOUR BASIC ANGLING TECHNIQUES GO OUT THE WINDOW. A BAIT FISHED ON A BED OF LOOSE FEED IS MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE PICKED UP THAN A BAIT FISHED ALL ON ITS OWN.



CARP BAITS

THESE BAITS ARE THE LATEST CRAZE TO HIT FISHING IN GENERAL AND ARE NOW STARTING TO WORK THERE WAY INTO WELLS FISHING.

THERE ARE MANY TYPES, FLAVOURS, AND SIZES OF PELLET AND BOILIES OUT THERE AND ONCE AGAIN ITS ALL ABOUT EXPERIMENTING ON YOUR VENUE TO FIND WHICH ONE WORKS. OBVIOUSLY ITS BETTER TO APPEAL TO THE CATS PREDATORY SENSES AND AIM FOR A FISHY FLAVOUR BUT I HAVE SEEN CATS TAKEN ON LOTS OF DIFFERENT FLAVOURS, EVEN FRUIT AND MILK FLAVOURS.

BECAUSE THESE BAITS ARE JUST TOO HARD TO PUT A HOOK THROUGH THEN YOU FISH THEM USING A HAIR RIG. AGAIN THINK BIG, A COUPLE OF 21mm PELLETS ON A HAIR TO A SIZE 2/0 HOOK IS COMMON. AND DONT FORGET TO LAY DOWN YOUR BED OF BAIT. BECAUSE THESE BAITS ARE SO POPULAR WITH OTHER SPECIES OF FISH THEN YOU WILL NEED TO LAY DOWN A LARGE BED OF BAIT, A COUPLE OF KILOS AT LEAST. AND DONT FORGET THAT PELLETS BREAK DOWN IN THE WATER AFTER A WHILE SO KEEP RE-BAITING YOUR HOOK EVERY FEW HOURS. AND KEEP THE LOOSE FEED GOING IN AS THE OTHER FISH IN THE LAKE WILL PROBABLY TAKE THE MAJORITY OF IT.



SURFACE BAITS

WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NON BOTTOM FISHED BAITS I SUPPOSE YOU COULD ARGUE THAT ANY BAIT CAN BE FISHED POPPED UP OFF THE BOTTOM, HOWEVER WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SURFACE BAITS WE ARE REALLY ONLY TALKING ABOUT THREE TYPES OF BAIT.

LIVEBAIT
WORMS
LEECHES


LIVEBAITS ARE BEST CAUGHT AT THE VENUE WHICH IS WHY I ALWAYS HAVE MY FLOAT ROD AND A COUPLE OF PINTS OF MAGGOTS WITH ME ON EVERY SESSION. MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE ARE RUDD AS THEY ARE EASY TO CATCH ON MOST WATERS, BUT TENCH, ROACH AND CARP ALL WORK VERY WELL. WHEN LOOKING FOR LIVEBAIT THEN LOOK FOR SOMETHING AROUND 3 OR 4 INCHES LONG BUT I HAVE CAUGHT ON BAITS AS BIG AS 6 AND 7 INCH SO ITS PRETTY MUCH A CASE OF FISH WHAT SIZE OF BAIT YOU CAN GET HOLD OF. BE WARNED THOUGH IF YOU HAVE PIKE IN YOUR VENUE THEN THEY CAN BE A REAL PEST. IF YOU ARE FISHING A VENUE THAT HOLDS PIKE TOO THEN YOU WILL NEED A FAIR AMOUNT OF BAIT HANDY.

THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS OF HOOKING UP YOUR LIVEBAIT, AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHAT YOU FEEL CONFIDENT WITH AND WHAT PUTS YOU THE CATS ON THE BANK, BECAUSE LETS FACE IT BEING CONFIDENT IN YOUR SET UP HELPS PUT YOU THE FISH ON THE BANK. COMMON WAYS TO HOOK UP LIVEBAIT ARE SIMPLY THROUGH THE BOTTOM LIP OR AS SHOWN THROUGH THE TAIL ROOT JUST ABOVE THE BACKBONE. YOU CAN ALSO HAIR RIG LIVEBAIT BY PASSING A HAIR LOOP THROUGH THE LOWER LIP, LOOPING IT BACK OVER YOUR HOOKPOINT AND UP THE SHANK AND THEN SECURING WITH SOME RIG FOAM. THIS IS A BIT MORE HUMANE ON THE FISH AS IT CAN BE RELEASED ONCE YOU ARE DONE WITH IT AND IT WILL SWIM OFF FINE. IT ALSO KEEPS YOUR BAIT LIVELY FOR MUCH LONGER.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO FISH THIS BAIT THEN BE PREPARED THE ACTION CAN BE FAST AND FURIOUS AND VERY FRUSTRATING AS MISSED RUNS CAN BE COMMON, BUT IT DOES GET THE HEART POUNDING. AND DONT THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE THE SUN HAS COME UP ITS TIME TO CHANGE THE SURFACE LIVEBAIT TO A BOTTOM BAIT, I HAVE TAKEN PLENTY OF CATS FROM THE SURFACE THROUGH THE DAYLIGHT HOURS AND SEEN EVEN MORE HUNTING ON THE TOP. STICK WITH THIS METHOD AND BAIT AS IT CAN BE A WINNER ANY TIME OF DAY.

IF YOUR VENUE DOES NOT ALLOW THE USE OF LIVEBAIT THEN A CRACKING ALTERNATIVE IS A LARGE BUNCH OF WORMS. THE PICTURE OPPOSITE SHOWS FOURTEEN WORMS ON A SIZE 1/0 HOOK WHICH GIVES YOU AN IDEA ON THE SIZE OF BAIT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THESE ARE FISHED EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE SURFACE LIVEBAIT JUST HANGING UNDER A SURFACE POP UP RIG. THE WORMS CAN BE A DEADLY BAIT BUT LIKE THE LIVEBAIT HAVING TROUBLE WITH PIKE THEN THIS BAIT CAN GIVE YOU PROBLEMS WITH SMALL FISH AND CARP. ITS WORTH IF YOU ARE FISHING WORM TO CHECK YOUR BAIT HAS NOT BEEN ROBBED EVERY COUPLE OF HOURS.

AS LONG AS YOUR WORMS ARE OF A GOOD SIZE THEN YOU WILL BE FINE, BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT LARGE DENDRABENAS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE AS THEY STAY ALIVE MUCH LONGER AND ARE MUCH MORE LIVELY ON THE HOOK AND THAT IS THE KEY WHEN FISHING SURFACE BAITS. IT NOT ABOUT SCENT TRAILS AND OILS ITS ALL ABOUT MOVEMENT. WHEN CATS ARE HUNTING ON THE SURFACE THEY ARE HUNTING ON MOVEMENT SO THE KEY TO IT IS TO HAVE FRESH LIVELY BAIT NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE FISHING.


AND THEN WE GET TO LEECHES. A VERY UNDER USED SURFACE BAIT PURELY BECAUSE OF THE PRICE OF EACH LEECH. YOU CAN BUY A WHOLE BOX OF DENDRABENAS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE OR TWO LEECHES. THAT ASIDE THOUGH THEY ARE A HUGELY EFFECTIVE BAIT, ESPECIALLY FISHED IN PAIRS ON A SIZE 1 HOOK OR SOMETHING IN THAT REGION. THEY STAY ALIVE ON THE HOOK FOR EVER AND A DAY AND THE CATS LOVE THEM. YOU FISH THEM THE SAME AS ANY OTHER SURFACE BAIT AND THEY HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHER SURFACE BAITS AS THEY WILL BE MOSTLY LEFT ALONE BY OTHER FISH.


ADDITIVES



AND FINALLY WE MOVE ON TO ADDITIVES. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SUDDEN EXPLOSION IN THE RANGE OF ADDITIVES THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE AS MANUFACTURERS ARE STARTING TO CLICK ON TO THE RISE IN CATFISH POPULARITY. GONE ARE THE DAYS OF RAIDING THE PIKE GEAR, YOU CAN NOW GET EVERYTHING FROM POWDERED LIVER TO MUSSEL EXTRACT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN BAITS THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO USE ADDITIVES WITH, MAINLY THE SURFACE BAITS, BUT MOST BOTTOM FISHED BAITS CAN HAVE AN ADDITIVE ADDDED TO THEM IN SOME WAY. THE CARP BAITS ARE MUCH EASIER TO ADD EXTRA FLAVOUR TOO AS THEY CAN BE SOAKED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN WHATEVER YOU WANT.

OILS ARE MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE AS THEY ARE VERY VERSITILE. THEY CAN BE INJECTED INTO BAITS, ADDED TO A GROUNDBAIT MIX OR JUST SIMPLY PAINTED ON TO A BAIT. INJECTING OILS INTO A DEADBAIT IS A KILLER METHOD AND THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF OILS AVAILABLE OUT THERE. EVERYTHING FROM SALMON AND TROUT OILS TO TUNA AND HERRING OIL. AGAIN EXPERIMENT AND FIND WHICH ONE WORKS ON YOUR CHOSEN VENUE.


PASTE ON ADDITIVES ARE BETTER USED WITH MEAT BAITS AS THESE BAITS ARE LARGE AND INJECTED OILS ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO RELEASE INTO THE WATER. THERE ARE A FEW RANGES OF SCENT TRAIL LIQUIDS AVAILABLE OUT THERE OR YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN BUT IT CAN GET VERY SMELLY AND THE OTHER HALF HAS ENOUGH TO PUT UP WITH WHEN YOU ARE A MOGGY CHASER AS IT IS.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE WAYS OF USING THESE ADDITIVES IS IN A GROUNDBAIT STYLE ATTRACTION. USING THEM LIKE THIS ALLOWS YOU TO PUT A SCENT TRAIL OUT IN THE WATER WITHOUT OVERLOADING IT WITH TOO MUCH LOOSE FEED. ONE OF MY FAVOURITES IS LIQUIDISED LIVER. BLEND IT ROUGHLY THEN IT CAN EITHER BE FROZEN INTO BLOCKS AND ADDED TO THE SWIM OR AS A LIQUID IT CAN BE MIXED WITH A BASE GROUNDBAIT LIKE BREADCRUMB. YOU CAN THEN ADD TO THIS ANYTHING YOU WANT, FISH BITS, LIVER BITS AND ANY OILS OR GLUGGS YOU CHOOSE. YOU CAN THEN BALL IT INTO YOUR SWIM ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IT CAN DRIVE THE CATS MAD. I HAVE WATCHED THEM SEARCHING FOR HOURS OVER THIS STUFF AS THEY TRY TO PIN DOWN WHERE THE SCENT IS COMING FROM.

I AM SURE YOU ALL HAVE YOUR OWN METHODS AND IDEAS, AND I AM SURE THEY ALL BRING SUCCESS, BUT I HOPE I HAVE GIVEN YOU SOME IDEAS WHERE TO START AND WHAT TO USE WHEN MAKING YOUR CHOICE OF CATFISH BAITS.

HAPPY HUNTING

nice write up mate

nicely done mate

very good post russ VERY GOOD also very informative !

i cant wait to start my moggy hunting again this year is gonna start around end of march time

yes we are.....

ill get u hooked on them nidge lol

mate, would love to get one out this year....

could be summat else to add to my targets i bet they fight like the devil dont they

iv never had a fight like it mate they never give up

The thing that I have found with catching these slippery monsters is that they test every aspect of your fishing, from your set up and confidence in the end tackle and your knots... through to your finesse in the handling of your rods.

I have found you really have to give it to them a lot harder than you would say with a carp but I have only scratched the surface with this species not catching any true monsters but have had them to just over 40lb.

We have some huge specimens down this way to over the 100lb, however there are waters that Stotty and myself fish that we can catch literally a tonne of carp and there are cats to over 60lb which can be caught on the pellet waggler... now imagine getting hit by that with a 1.5lb barbel rod...

i love them they are ace but ugly lol

ugly, i like the look of them, but there again my eyes aint what they were....

Excellent wright up russ

What about KittyKat

Woodchucker wrote:What about KittyKat

You hungry Woody?

As always

youve missed the best cat bait ever off live carp i find two pounders best

noodle wrote:youve missed the best cat bait ever off live carp i find two pounders best

Live Tench and eels

Gotta get me a catfish...Will my rods be ok??

what you got channa.....

Prodigy 3lb test and infinity x reels!!!

they,ll do the job mate....

Only used once nidge!!! That was at lakeside!!

bloody hell, its criminal keeping rods like that locked away..............